Multiplying beyond Thailand

by Debbie Lamp, Equipping Women International, a ministry of Barnabas International

After searching the internet for training opportunities, Esther came all the way from Kenya to take Facilitating Relational Learning (FRL) in Thailand in 2015.

Working for Sheepfold Ministries among unreached people in several African nations, Esther trains full-time Christian workers who are preparing to establish local sustainable businesses. She came to Chiang Mai desiring to learn how to apply adult learning principles to her training. She found so much more; not only new skills, but also fellowship and friendship with like-minded sisters in ministry.

Esther writes, “Some of the things that stood out for me were the idea of ‘giving voice’ to those who may be internal processors, use of open questions to stir discussion and generate shared learning, and preparation of lesson plans with objectives. I also realized that when teaching adults, I am not the only one with all the information, but there’s a wealth of information among adults. My role is to stimulate shared learning.

“This year (when I facilitated) I was more relaxed because I was better able to develop a lesson plan with objectives. Despite the fact we had to translate from different languages, I used a lot of discussion times and the participants were able to engage, generating shared learning. FRL gave me skills which made my work much easier. I enjoyed training much more.” Esther reports that, thanks to this training, ministry workers in Mozambique, for example, are more equipped and effective for the work God has called them to do.

Esther traveled all the way from Kenya to Thailand for ministry training.

Another example of ministry training multiplying from Thailand to points around the world, is found in Tricia. Working in a closed country for a coaching organization, Tricia took Developing a Discerning Heart (DDH) in October 2016. Within days, she was using what she learned.

Tricia wrote, “Today I used [a tool I’d learned in DDH] with my discipleship group for the first time … I was quite surprised and touched when one person said she is feeling loving, because she feels so loved and accepted by our group. We’ve only had 12 meetings and she’s made 7 of them, so for her to say this really surprised me. She’s one who has been far from father [God] and not usually willing to pray but tonight, I think for the second time ever, she closed us in prayer. I just want to say thank you to all of the people who have invested in creating and delivering this course. It is very practical and beneficial to my/our spiritual growth.”

Developing a Discerning Heart Participants in Thailand work on an interactive exercise.

Note: Barnabas’ Equipping Women International (EWI) is Entrust’s partner in Asia, bringing the Women-to-Women Ministry Training (WWMT) curriculum to an array of women in ministry, based in Thailand.

In 2011, Debbie Lamp and her EWI team looked around the world, trying to decide where to establish a new training hub. Chiang Mai, Thailand became the obvious choice. Not only did women in ministry in Asia lack ready access to WWMT course modules at that time, but EWI had Barnabas staff living in Chiang Mai who could help them get started. Five years later, EWI is going strong, has made a name for itself and is transforming women’s lives one by one all around the Asian region and beyond.